Fidelity
by Miss-Judgey
Summary: Set in Harry's 6th year at Hogwarts. He had a hard summer after Sirius died, and desperately needs someones help. Will Serverus Snape be the one to help him? My first fanfic. Not AU, Manipulative Dumbledore
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Fidelity

**Author: **Miss-Judgey

**Disclaimer: **The Characters and setting are not mine. They are owned by J.K Rowling, a literary god

_BANG! _

Harry shuddered, that was the 3rd time that week he had blown up his potion.

"Mr. Potter the instructions clearly state to stir the potion _after_ adding the toads eyes, not before. Perhaps detention will be a suitable way to remind you to keep your mind on your work" snarled the greasy potions master.

Harry huffed, but did not argue. He had barely slept for a second that week. Every time he dozed off he had nightmares about privet drive and had stayed awake to avoid reliving his uncle's harsh 'punishments'.

Not a moment too soon the bell for lunch rang and Harry, Ron and Hermione all hurried out of the draughty dungeons.

"I have to go to the library, I'll see you two at dinner" said Hermione as she hurried off in the direction of the library.

"I don't know why she even bothers staying in the tower, she should just sleep in the library and save herself the trouble" grumbled Ron.

"Yeah" Harry mumbled absentmindedly.

Ron slowed down to walk beside Harry and looked at him sympathetically

"What's going on mate? You've been distracted all week. Are you having nightmares about you-know-who again? Come on Harry, you can tell me"

"No, I just can't sleep, alright? Leave it alone would you?" snapped Harry.

_I feel bad for not telling them, but I just know what they would say. They would both tell me to go to Dumbledore, and that is certainly not something I want to do, especially after all he has kept from me. _

Harry and Ron entered the great hall and sat down with Neville and Dean. Harry was glad for an excuse not to have to talk to Ron and glad for the good meal. He had gotten much skinnier over the holidays and loved being back at Hogwarts with real food.

After about half an hour Harry started to feel uncomfortable, like someone was watching him. He looked up at the teachers table and found himself staring into the eyes of Professor Snape.

_

* * *

__Stupid, insolent Potter. He is too caught up in his own self-indulgent fantasies to pay attention in my class. In fact he is probably thinking about his next foolish late night adventure. He is exactly like his prat of a father, always thinking of himself. I will teach that boy to show some respect. _

Snape's rant was interrupted when he nearly collided with a first year Slytherin. He gave the nervy boy a cold stare and continued on his way to the great hall, thinking of cruel punishments for Potter the whole way there.

However to Snape's dismay, when he finally got to lunch, he couldn't take his eyes off Harry.

_There is something different about the boy. He is skinnier then usual, but that isn't it. He just doesn't seem like himself. Probably has something to do with the loss of that mutt of a godfather. It must have been hard for him. Oh no, what am I thinking? I can't possibly be concerned for that spoilt brat. No, of course I'm not. He is the same stuck up brat-who-lived that has been strutting around like he owns the place since he got here. _

Snape snapped out of his reverie when Potter's green eyes met with his.

At that moment he felt something funny in his stomach. His eyes, there was something different about them. Like all the life was out of them.

Snape shook his head to get rid of the thought and went back to eating his lunch, slightly disturbed by his moment of concern for Potter.

* * *

That night at 10 to 7 Harry left Ron and Hermione in the Gryffindor common room to make his way down to the dungeons.

_What did it mean? Usually when Snape looks at me it is with loathing or disgust, but that look was something different. It was like he was almost…concerned. He couldn't be concerned about me though, he hates me. I don't deserve anyone's concern anyway. _

Harry stopped at Snape's door and took a big breath of dank air before knocking.

"Enter"

Harry nervously opened the door and stood looking at Snape. He was sitting behind his desk marking papers.

"Did no one ever teach you that it is rude to loiter in doorways Mr. Potter? Get in here and sit down" commanded Snape without even looking up from his papers

Harry gave Snape a glare that luckily he missed and went and sat in the hard chair in front of Snape's desk. It was almost 5 minutes before Snape finished marking the last paper and looked up to fix Harry with a sharp glare.

"Today you will be scrubbing cauldrons. I want you to finish all 15 of them by 8:30 or you will be here again tomorrow, is that understood?"

"Yes, sir" mumbled Harry

"Good, now get on with it"

Harry turned and began to stomp off to the next room when Snape called out

"Oh and by the way Mr. Potter, if I catch you slacking off just once, it will be fifty points from Gryffindor. Hopefully this will teach you to pay attention"

Harry glared at the potions master and then set to work on the stack of cauldrons.

The cauldrons were so dirty that Harry had to scrub extra hard, and he was getting quite caught up in his work. He didn't even notice when Snape came into the room to watch him work. As he reached across the cauldron to scrub a particularly hard stain, the sleeve of his too small school robes were pulled up, revealing a nasty yellow bruise that had been inflicted in one of Uncle Vernon's drunken rages.

The bruise caught Snape's eye and he walked silently over to the boy and grabbed his arm from behind. Harry flinched and his other arm flew up to protect his face.

Snape was shocked, but chose to ignore it.

"Fighting is not accepted at Hogwarts, Mr. Potter. Perhaps another detention tomorrow night is in order" Snape said coldly

"I haven't been fighting" hissed an annoyed and embarrassed Harry.

"Do not lie to me boy" snarled Snape, dropping Harry's arm and walking around to stand in front of him.

"If you did not get this bruise from fighting then how did you get it?"

"I fell" lied Harry

"Liar"

Snape stood and strode to the other side of the room to continue marking papers.

"That will be all Mr. Potter; I expect to see you here tomorrow night for another detention".

Without another word Harry stood up and strode angrily from the room, slamming the door behind him.

_He flinched away from me. What was that about? I have never seen the boy behave like that before. It was almost like he thought I was going to hit him…all well, I'm sure it meant nothing._

However as hard as he tried, Severus Snape couldn't stop seeing the look on Harry's face when he had flinched away from him.

That night was sleepless for Severus Snape, as he sat up in front of his fire, thinking only of Harry and his promise to Lily. Little did he know that Harry was sitting in front of the fire in Gryffindor Tower thinking of him too.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Fidelity

**Author:** Miss-Judgey

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything but the plot

**Warnings:** Manipulative Dumbledore and OotP spoilers

Harry sat staring at his porridge, too tired to eat it. He could tell that Hermione and Ron were arguing about something, but his brain had blocked them out. He couldn't stop thinking about flinching from Snape. _He must think I'm such a baby._

Harry looked up at the staff table and saw that Snape wasn't there. _Good, hopefully the snarky git has fallen horribly ill and won't be able to teach for the remainder of the year. _Harry sniggered, amused by the image of Snape lying in bed with a thermometer sticking out of his mouth, hugging a teddy. As quickly as the image amused him, it disturbed him and he had to change his attention to something else.

"Let's go down and visit Hagrid" he said abruptly. Hermione and Ron hastily agreed, glad that he had finally said something.

* * *

Snape had decided to have his house elf bring him breakfast in his private quarters that day as he was not in the mood to deal with the noise of breakfast in the great hall. He had spent an uncomfortable night on his sofa in front of the fireplace thinking about Lily and his promise. He kept thinking back to the bruise and the look in his eyes - Lily's eyes. Once so bright and courageous, they were now defeated and dull.

After finishing his 3rd cup of coffee, Severus decided it was time he went to visit Minerva.

Anyone who didn't know them better would think that Minerva and Snape hated each other but that was far from the truth. Their distaste for each other was just an act, a friendly but long standing joke between the two heads of house. They did have a healthy competition with each other, but behind all the jokes and point-taking they had a very close relationship. Although Minerva was sometimes patronising and Snape was often cold, they enjoyed each others company. Snape would go to Minerva to share stories about him as a student and of her as a teacher. He was glad for her friendship and she was equally glad for his, although neither was willing to admit it.

Snape went to Minerva's private quarters and knocked on the hard, red wood door. When no answer came from within after the 5th knock, he went to check her office, the staffroom, the great hall, her classroom, the infirmary, Dumbledore's office and the kitchens but he couldn't find her anywhere. He went to check the grounds and passed the golden trio on their way down to Hagrid's hut. As he walked along behind them he heard snatches of their conversation.

"Harry you seem so tired, are you still not sleeping well?" Hermione's sickeningly gentle voice made Snape shudder.

"Yeah mate, you seem dead tired" agreed the Weasley boy

"I'm fine, I have just…" Harry's voice trailed off

"Have just what Harry?"

"Nothing, never mind" Harry's voice was tired but stern. The other two shared a look, but said nothing.

Snape spotted Minerva sitting by the shore of the lake and had to change direction, but he was shocked by what he had heard

_He can't sleep? That must be why he can't concentrate in my classes. Surely if he is having problems sleeping the brat would be whinging to Dumbledore and his friends about it, not keeping it to himself. I wonder if this has something to do with his godfather. Or maybe something to do with that nasty bruise...No, the boy probably can't sleep because he is just eating too much sugar and doesn't get enough exercise. _

Snape tried his hardest to think nasty things about Potter but he couldn't help being at least a little bit worried.

_

* * *

_

_The Whomping Willow, the Quidditch pitch, Hagrid's hut. All these places just remind me of Sirius. I wonder if he loved the grounds as much as I do. He would have loved them when he was stuck in that old house. He would still be here to love them if it weren't for me._

Harry suddenly felt sick to the stomach. He spent hours blaming himself for Sirius' death. He was trying everything to get Sirius off his mind but everything he thought about somehow lead him to think of him.

"Harry you seem so tired, are you still not sleeping well?"

Harry sighed inwardly; the caution in her voice was more noticeable then ever.

"Yeah mate, you seem dead tired"

"I'm fine, I have just…"

For a second Harry considered telling them about his nightmares of being back at Privet Drive and the many hours of reliving Sirius' death. Then he imagined the looks of disgust that would be on their faces if he told them about Uncle Vernon's 'punishments' and decided not to.

As Ron changed the subject, Harry turned to look back up at the school and saw Snape turn off the path to walk towards the lake. Harry's breath caught in his chest.

_Did he hear our conversation? He must have, he couldn't have been walking far behind us. Now he is going to go and tell Dumbledore that I have been whinging about not being able to sleep and Dumbledore will want to know why. _

Harry was glad when they reached Hagrid's hut. He knew that Hagrid would be able to make him feel better.

* * *

Snape found Minerva sitting on a large rock beside the lake, staring into the water. Beside her was a bag full of cold toast which she was breaking up and feeding to the fish that live in the shallows of the lake. When Snape sat down beside her she didn't say a word and the two of them sat in silence for a few minutes before the head of Gryffindor spoke.

"I went to see Albus yesterday, I had to talk to him about…" she paused and looked up at Severus, trying to decide whether to tell him. She sighed and then continued

"…about Potter. I'm worried about the boy Severus. His godfather just died, and Albus is setting him on a mission to save the wizarding world. He is just a child and he has been through so much."

Once again she stopped talking and fell into silence. Severus didn't speak, but waited patiently for her to continue.

"I went to check on him in the holidays. I didn't go into his house; I just sat outside in the bushes to make sure everything was well. Harry was outside almost every day slaving over the garden. He was just getting thinner and thinner everyday. I knew I couldn't intrude or Albus would be furious with me. I told Albus about it yesterday when I went to see him but he just shrugged it off. I tried to tell him that everything wasn't well with the boy but he wouldn't have any of it. He simply told me that Harry needed time to grieve but would be fine. I just don't know what to do Severus, Albus is getting even more stubborn as he gets older. I'm so worried about poor Potter."

Snape considered telling Minerva about what he had seen the day before in detention. He knew she deserved to know but he wasn't sure whether now was the best time to tell her. He didn't want to worry her more, and besides, he could deal with it himself.

Severus placed a hand on her shoulder and said "it will be ok, you know. We will _both_ keep an eye on Potter and make sure he is alright"

McGonagall looked up at him "You will help me? Are you sure Severus? You hate the boy!"

"I think…that I owe it to Lily to make sure he is alright"

Minerva nodded knowingly and looked back into the lake.

"Sometimes I see Lily in his eyes; I see the same intelligence and cunning. I think that he is much more like Lily then you think Severus.

For once, Severus wasn't so sure that she was wrong.

* * *

Once again Severus was annoyed that the boy had to be so punctual. The knock on his door came at 1 minute to 7 and once again Severus lost his pleasure of scolding the boy for being late.

"Enter"

This time Harry didn't hesitate but walked straight in and stood before the potion master's desk.

Without even looking up from his work Snape pointed to a table next to his own and said "I will not get into fights, 200 times. Write neatly"

Harry dumped his bag on the floor and flopped into the chair.

Snape rolled his eyes at his typical teenage boy behaviour.

_What was I thinking? This boy is exactly like James. Just as arrogant, just as self-assured. He is probably just getting in to fights like I thought in the first place. I ought to tell Minerva that she was just over re-acting. _

It was almost an hour before Snape looked over at the boy to see him try to shake a cramp out of his hand with a pained expression on his face.

"Let me see"

Harry handed the parchment to Snape

Snape tried to arrange his face into his harshest sneer.

"Didn't your family ever teach you to write properly, Mr. Potter? This is completely illegible. Are you are just too lazy to do it properly? Laziness, I am sure, is something you inherited from your father."

Snape was startled when Harry just shrugged indifferently.

_He doesn't even look angry! I just insulted his father and he doesn't seem to care. _

"Look at me when I am speaking to you Mr. Potter!" snarled the potions master.

Harry's head slowly raised and his eyes met with Severus'.

_Damn those eyes! Damn him for having her eyes! Damn her for giving him her eyes! Damn her for marrying that prat Potter and damn her for making me promise her to look after this boy!_

"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT" Snape yelled, ripping the parchment in two.

Harry looked startled for a moment then hurried out the door.

Snape could hear his footsteps pound down the corridor.

Snape stood still for a second, breathing quickly. In a moment of complete frustration he kicked over the chair Harry had been sitting on.

_Why didn't she ever love me? I loved her since the moment I saw her and I love her still. I would have been a better father then James could have been. I wouldn't have let the dark lord get anywhere near her and my child. I loved her so much with her sharp wit and gentle heart. She was so beautiful…Damn it, I will make sure Potter gets the support he deserves. I made a promise to Lily and I can't go back on it. She would never have walked out on me if I needed help and I will not walk out on her child._

* * *

Harry ran until he was completely out of breath. He hadn't watched where he was running and he had no idea where he was when he stopped. Images of Uncle Vernon were flying through his head. Uncle Vernon was screaming at him because he over cooked the bacon and then he was hitting Harry on the thigh with the frying pan, hot oil burning his skin. He was being beaten with a belt, being pushed up against a wall, being told he was worthless and stupid. Harry fell to the ground, pulling his hair and screwing up his face. He tried to get the images out of his head but they wouldn't go away.

His heart was pounding in his chest, his head was throbbing and he was holding back strangled sobs. Harry was reliving a particularly painful beating when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He quickly flinched away and tried to crawl into a corner. When he finally opened his eyes he found himself looking in to the eyes of Severus Snape.

* * *

AN: thanks to coymelody, dead-marauders and walkslikerain926 for the reviews and thankyou to everyone who added this story to their favourites or alerts. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **Fidelity

**Author: **Miss-Judgey

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but the plot.

**A/N: **C.S Lewis once said: _"if you look for truth, you many find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth, only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair."_

I just want you guys to think about that while you read the rest of this story as I know I will be thinking of it too.

"Potter? It's alright; I'm not going to hurt you"

Harry unclenched his body just slightly and put his hands on the ground.

"That's right Potter, just take deep breaths"

_Snape? Oh god no…this cannot be happening. _

Harry felt his face flush with embarrassment as he turned his gaze away from the potions master who was now kneeling beside him.

There was then an awkward minute where neither of them said anything and they sat in an uncomfortable silence.

It was Snape who finally spoke.

"Are you ok now Potter?"

Harry nodded and tried to keep from looking at Snape.

"Now do you want to tell me what that was all about?" said Snape as gently as he could.

Harry shook his head and got up.

"You'd be lucky if I ever told you anything" Harry snarled

Then Harry pushed past Snape and ran out of the room in the direction of the Gryffindor common room.

_This is bad, this is very very bad. What if Snape tries to use this against me in class? What if he tells Dumbledore or McGonagall? _

Harry ran until he reached the Gryffindor common room and then raced through the portrait hole to find Ron and Hermione waiting for him in front of the fire. He tried to arrange his face into something that resembled calm as he walked over and sat in a cushy armchair.

"Did Snape keep you in detention all that time? What a prat"

Harry gave Ron an appreciative grin and nodded.

Harry, Ron and Hermione spent the next half an hour complaining about Snape and doing harsh imitations of him. Harry welcomed the distraction and for the first time what seemed like forever, he lightened up and joined in.

Harry spent the next week trying his best to avoid Snape. In class he kept his head down and didn't make eye contact with the greasy potions master, even when Snape was ruthlessly reprimanding him. Harry had not enjoyed the week in the slightest. He kept reliving that night after detention and he would feel his stomach turn with the embarrassment of it all. Harry's already interrupted sleep was punctured with dreams of his mother comforting him and telling him she was proud of him. Harry found that the bitter disappointment of wakening in a harsh reality was too much to bear and tried to avoid sleeping at all costs.

Snape had an equally irksome week. He was infuriated that Potter wouldn't look at him, but was even more infuriated with himself for not going to Potter and talking to him. He knew what he should do; well he knew what_ Lily_ wanted him to do anyway. She would want him to comfort Potter and earn his trust. The thought of doing so made Snape's lip curl and he shook off the chilling thought. To Snape's dismay he also had unwanted dreams, dreams of eating dinner with Potter while he chatted merrily of his day and walking around the grounds in silence, content in each others company. Snape would wake from these dreams feeling so alone and filled with an aching regret. He stopped sleeping all together.

After an entire week of feeling embarrassed and regretful, Harry decided that enough was enough.

_Knock on the door. Do it, go on. Just reach out and knock. The door is right there all you have to do is reach out and…_

Just as Harry went to knock on the door it swung open and he was staring somewhere around Snape's torso. Harry was suddenly very aware of how idiotic he must look, with a look of complete surprise on his face and his hand poised mid-knock.

"Mr. Potter" Snape said with a mildly amused and subtly surprised expression

"Um…hi"

Harry felt like hitting himself. He had practiced exactly what to say to Snape when he saw him and all he could come out with was a mumble.

"Eloquent as ever, Mr. Potter" Snape drawled as he led the way into his office.

Harry wandered awkwardly into the room and sat in the chair in front of Snape's desk, trying to look anywhere but at Snape.

"Potter if this is going to ta…"

"I'm sorry" Harry blurted it out so quickly that his words jumbled together. He took a deep breath and tried again.

"I'm sorry"

"Sorry? Sorry for what Mr. Potter?"

"I'm sorry for um…you know. Last week."

"Your Gryffindor qualities never cease to annoy me" Snape said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

When Harry returned a puzzled look Snape explained with an air of extreme impatience.

"I do believe it is I that should be apologising to you, Mr. Potter, not the other way around"

_Snape is apologising? I must be dreaming…_

"I forgive you…sir"

Snape looked up at Harry and fixed him with a sharp glare but didn't say anything. There was a long silence between the two before Harry realised that Snape was waiting for him to speak.

"I…um, I just, it is just that…"

"Don't bother. I'm not a fool, Mr. Potter."

Harry was startled

"You figured it out?"

"It wasn't exactly a well kept secret, now was it" Snape drawled, inspecting his fingernails.

"I suppose not…"

"Who?"

"My Uncle…"

"I see"

The two sat in perfect silence for what seemed like hours to Snape, and like seconds to Harry.

"Do you have many bruises like the one I saw last week?"

"No sir" Harry said, looking at his feet.

"Do not lie to me" Snape said lazily

"Um…I have a few sir"

"Where are they?" Snape demanded in a voice that clearly indicated that he was not to be argued with.

"Mostly on my back" Harry said, now staring at his hands.

"Let me see"

Harry's body seized up. "Let you see? But…um…"

"Potter I can make them less painful. Either you let me heal them or I will be telling Dumbledore"

"Well, OK"

Harry stood and walked over to the side of Snape's desk. His legs felt like jelly and his hands were sweating as he removed his robes and his shirt.

_Why is Snape helping me? He has never done anything to help me before. _

Harry removed his shirt and was expecting a harsh comment from Snape but no words were said as he began to wave his wand over Harry's skin and conducted a diagnostic charm.

"Well Mr. Potter it appears that the many broken you have had healed over the past few weeks. However you have a fair amount of scarring on your back. I should be able to get rid of most of the bruises, but not all of them."

"K"

And with that grunt of permission, Snape began to rub a cold ointment onto Harry's skin.

_This must be what it feels like to have someone care for you. _

_There were so many bruises, so many scars. His childhood must have been a harsh one, much like my own. But still, the boy must learn to look after himself._

Once again Severus was spending a night alone in his quarters, numbing his emotions with a bottle of brandy. This was the way he had spent his life, curling his back to the world and trying to ignore the aching feeling of loneliness that he could never shake off. If he didn't deal with the problem, it would hurt less at the current time, but more in the long run. He knew that it wasn't good for him, but he didn't care. He would continue to live his life in solitude because he didn't have the strength of heart to be rejected again. He kept his emotional walls up very high and didn't allow anyone access into his personal world and he didn't intend to. He never would, ever. Or, so he thought.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Fidelity

Author: Miss-Judgey

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot

A/N: Ok so it's been a REALLY long time since I last updated. So…please don't hate me.

* * *

"Harry…we're really sorry. You know that if we could have you stay then we would…"

Harry looked up into Hermione's face and gave a comforting smile.

"Yeah, I know."

"I'll bring you back some wicked gifts though mate, promise"

Harry laughed and gave Ron a whack on the back.

"Don't worry about it Ron, I'll be fine."

It was 6am and Ron, Hermione and Harry were on their way down to the great hall to eat a very early breakfast. They had made it a routine to get there a little bit earlier; it gave them a chance to talk without being over heard. The Christmas holidays had begun and Hermione and Ron's parents would be picking them up after breakfast. Harry was going to be spending the holidays at Hogwarts, but he didn't really mind. The time alone would give him time to think and sort his mind out. He had a lot to think about.

"I'll write to you everyday, I promise. We'll be back before you know it."

"Guys it fine, seriously" Harry said reassuringly

The trio ate their breakfast in silence, basking in each other company. Harry couldn't bring himself to eat much and pushed his food around his plate with his fork. If Ron and Hermione noticed, they didn't say anything.

After breakfast Harry said his goodbyes and watched his best friends walk out the grand front doors of Hogwarts. He stood for a few minutes, soaking in the silence of the Entrance Hall before walking up the stairs in the direction of the Gryffindor common room. However he didn't make it very far until he stopped and turned back. He had someone he needed to see.

* * *

For the majority of the staff at Hogwarts, the holidays were their favourite part of the year. Lessons were done, students were gone, and it was time to relax and prepare for the next term. However for Snape this wasn't quite the same. His Slytherins were his number one priority at Hogwarts, and this didn't end in the holidays. Many Slytherin students weren't welcome home for the holidays, or had no home to go to. As their head of house, Snape took responsibility for making their holidays as bearable as possible. This started with one of his most troublesome snakes, Theodore Nott. Theodore had spent the summer with his parents in their mansion in Wales, but it had been anything but a happy family holiday. He came back to Hogwarts bruised and broken and Snape had immediately set about trying to piece him back together.

Nott had appeared at Snape's room during breakfast that morning, looking dejected and uncomfortable. Without even saying a word, Snape closed the door behind him and enveloped him in a protective embrace. They stood there for minutes, Nott sobbing silently into his mentor's robes and Snape giving him quiet reassurances. He decided in that moment that he would never let Nott go home to his 'family' again.

When Nott left Snape stood in his lounge room staring into space. He realised that there was a student he needed to see.

* * *

By the time Harry neared Snape's office he was ready to turn and run. In fact he would have done so if he hadn't of walked directly into the potions master.

"Potter you blind idiot, can't you watch where you're going?" snarled Snape, picking Harry up off the ground nevertheless.

"Sorry sir" mumbled Harry, not lifting his eyes off the ground.

"What, may I ask, were you doing in the dungeons at this time of the day?"

"I was just…coming to see you, sir" said Harry, lifting his eyes off the ground and gazing into Snape's cold grey eyes.

Snape watched the boy for a second, seeing for the first time that year the determination he had seen Potter display so often. _At least it's still in there somewhere_

Snape lead Harry down to his private quarters silently, and Harry hurried to keep up with the older man's pace. When they reached their destination Snape opened the door and motioned for Harry to go inside and sit on the large leather arm chair in front of the fire.

Harry was astonished by the appearance of Snape's living area. He had expected a stony and cold interior like that of his classroom and office; however it was anything but that.

The walls were painted a deep forest green and were covered in tall, dark wood bookcases full of ancient looking volumes. There was a large leather lounge suite in the middle of the room, with two arm chairs facing each other, divided by a small dark wood coffee table. There was also a long lounge chair facing the two arm chairs from quite a distance. At the front end of the room was a blazing fire that lit up the dimly lit room with flickering light upon the walls.

Harry took a seat in the arm chair and Snape sat down in the one opposite him, waiting patiently for Harry to begin speaking.

"I just wanted to let you know that you don't need to worry about me sir. I mean, my uncle isn't that bad, he just got angry in the summer. You see I accidentally broke something of his that was really expensive and…well you know. It won't happen again"

Harry watched as the colour in Snape's face began to rise as he spoke. When Snape's face eventually arranged itself into a look of disgust Harry was prepared to run from the room.

"Potter, do NOT defend your uncle to me. Even if you did break something of his, that did not give him an excuse to harm you. He is slime, Potter."

When Snape eventually calmed down he held his face in his hands for a few seconds before speaking again, this time more evenly.

"Was this summer the first time your Uncle hit you?"

Harry was silent for a few moments, considering his options.

The story of his life with the Dursleys was sitting inside of him like a balloon, expanding with each passing day and it was on the verge of popping. However, did he really want to tell this particular story to Snape, of all people?

But then again, who else was there to tell?

And what did he have to lose?

"No, sir."

"How long had this been going on for Potter?"

Snape was becoming more concerned with every minute, but at the same time he couldn't quite ignore his elation at finally earning the boy's trust.

"To be honest I don't really remember. That is, I can't remember when it started."

Harry paused for a second, carefully watching Snape for any signs of emotion. However all he got was a nod of encouragement. With his heart beating heavily in his chest, he continued.

"It wasn't so bad when I was younger, the worst thing that ever happened was when my uncle pushed me into a wall and my glasses broke. It got worse as I got older. When I was 10 my uncle started coming home drunk late at night. He would come in to my room and start throwing me around. It happened almost every night for a few months but then he almost seemed to get bored of it. Sometimes he would just lock me in my room for weeks without food. But that wasn't too bad. I preferred it to the beatings, but I guess anyone would. Aunt Petunia knew about it and sometimes I could tell that she thought he was going too far. She never said anything to him though, so I guess she didn't really care too much. Although I don't blame her, it isn't like anyone really did."

Harry stopped, having said more then he intended to. He was expecting Snape to reply with a harsh remark about how self centred and ungrateful he was. But Snape didn't say anything. Instead he just sat there for a moment, obviously surveying Harry for a moment before saying anything.

"Why didn't you ever tell someone? Surely there were ample opportunities to tell someone. You could have told your friends, or the Weasleys. You even could have told Sirius. Why did you stay quiet about this?"

Harry bowed his head and breathed deeply before looking up into his professors eyes and quietly stating

"I didn't think they would care."

He looked back down into his hands and tried desperately to fight back the tears welling in his eyes.

"Of course they care. We all do."

Harry looked up at Snape in surprise. They maintained eye contact for almost a minute before Harry spoke.

"We?"

"Yes, Potter. We _all _do"


End file.
